Children's Home run by United Homes Group Ltd in Hillingdon

Inspection report for children's home: 2717656 1 Registered provider: United Homes Group Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home which provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted on 20 June 2023. The registered manager left in February 2024. A new manager has been appointed. They have not yet applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home. One child was spoken to.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 17 January 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2717656 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/01/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2717656 3

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improvement to be good

Leadership and management of the home have been unstable and this has impacted on the quality of care children receive. Despite some areas of positive practice, leaders have not always taken appropriate action, which compromises the safety and welfare of the children.

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improvement to be good

Before children move into the home, leaders and managers do not thoroughly assess their individual risks and needs or consider the needs of the children already living there. They fail to consider the impact children’s differing needs and risks will have on each other, which has negatively affected children’s day-to-day experiences. Additionally, leaders and managers do not ensure that they have up-to-date care plans from placing authorities. As a result, children’s needs have not been met and practice in the home fails to be child centred.

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improvement to be good

Despite this, children have good relationships with staff. Staff are caring and they know the children’s personalities well. Staff invest time in getting to know children. They have regular and open conversations to gain insight into the children’s lives and build trust. The children think highly of the acting manager. One child said, ‘I get on with the acting manager the most as she listens to my wants and needs.’

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improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are understood and met. Staff support children to attend routine and specialist health appointments. As a result, children’s health and well-being has improved while living in the home.

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improvement to be good

Children’s progress in education is varied. One child does not have an identified school place, despite the efforts of the staff to secure an education provision for them. Children who are not attending school are supported with home and one-to-one tuition so that they can continue to learn. This maintains consistency and structure for children while a suitable learning provision is found. Staff are actively helping one older child to look for employment and to prepare them for employment.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to engage in a wide range of activities. One child regularly goes horse riding, which they love. Activities are also provided in the home, including cooking and movie and games nights.

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improvement to be good

Children are not given opportunities to share their views, wishes and feelings about their care. Children do not participate in their care planning, risk assessments or children’s meetings, to ensure that they are effectively involved in the decision-making processes that impact significantly on their lives. This hinders the children’s ability to influence things that affect them and help staff to understand children’s issues from their perspective . Inspection report for children's home: 2717656 4 Children’s bedrooms are not kept to a good and hygienic standard. One child’s bedroom is spray painted with graffiti, another child’s bedroom was very untidy, with old food and clothes scattered across the floor. There was broken furniture in another’s child’s bedroom, which had a strong smell of cannabis. Although staff try to deter children from misusing drugs, this is not effective.

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improvement to be good

Children go missing from the home more frequently than they did before living in the home. One child is regularly missing, leading to the police being contacted daily, due to the child being at high risk. Staff follow appropriate protocols. However, when the child returns home, no conversations take place about where the child has been. There is no management oversight of the incident reports and there is no clear plan of action to protect the child and reduce their incidents of going missing. The regular presence of police is having a negative impact on the other children in the home. Some are now going missing from the home when this was not a previous concern.

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improvement to be good

Staff struggle to manage incidents and de-escalate negative behaviours. As a result, the police are often required to support staff in the home. Staff keep records of incidents that occur and there is management oversight of records. However, the records do not identify outcomes and actions taken. This prevents staff from helping children to reflect and learn new ways to manage behaviours positively and safely when they are upset or frustrated.

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improvement to be good

Staff engage children in meaningful key-work sessions. They work with children to address their specific risks and vulnerabilities. This supports children to develop skills and strategies to help keep themselves safer.

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improvement to be good

Searches of children’s bedrooms and possessions are not carried out sensitively. Most bedroom searches are conducted regularly and are not due to staff believing that there is a risk of harm to children. Bedroom searches are not appropriately recorded, and reports do not include the reasons for the search and how this relates to the child’s risk assessment and do not show management oversight of the decision to carry out a search.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leadership and management of the home are poor. Ofsted was not informed as required that the registered manager had left. There has been poor oversight of the home, which has led to the shortfalls found and leaders have failed to identify concerns. The responsible individual recognises the impact this has had on the day-to-day running on the home and care provided to children. They are taking effective action to improve children’s experiences and the quality of care they receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not receive regular and effective supervision and appraisal. Staff supervision by managers does not focus on children’s plans and needs. This does not enable staff to Inspection report for children's home: 2717656 5 reflect on the care they need to give children to help them to make good progress. Managers do not focus on staff’s skills and development, which further hinders their ability to meet children’s needs and provide good-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers failed to report an allegation made by a child against a member of staff to Ofsted as required. Although the allegation was investigated by the relevant safeguarding professional, the local authority designated officer’s recommendations were not followed and no support was given to the child and staff involved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff training is not completed within the required timescales. One member of staff had not completed their induction training or safeguarding training before working night shifts. The lack of safeguarding training compromises staff’s knowledge and their ability to recognise concerns and take decisive action if necessary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home’s workforce development plan does not provide plans to support staff. There is no plan for further training to enable the delivery of the home’s statement of purpose. Furthermore, there is no detail of the process for managing and improving poor performance or the process and timescales for supervision of practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Ofsted has not received the independent person’s report since October 2024. Leaders and managers said this was due to a change of independent person and miscommunication. The lack of regular reporting limits the regulator’s oversight of the home and is in breach of regulation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Ofsted has not received the quality of care review. This further demonstrates poor monitoring and oversight of the home and the care provided to children. This impacts on the ability of leaders and managers to identify the home’s strengths and weaknesses, prevent shortfalls and take effective action to address poor practice and ensure that there is continuous improvement. Inspection report for children's home: 2717656 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that there is a safeguarding culture that promotes children’s safety and well- being following incidents and allegations.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff are proactive and support children to protect them and reduce incidents of going missing.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff are skilled and able to manage incidents without relying on the police. 4 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and 4 April 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2717656 7 promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that management of the home is effective and there is an understanding of the impact care is having on children. Leaders and managers must ensure that staff have the relevant training to help them to meet children’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the views of each relevant person are taken into account, so far as reasonably practicable, before making a decision about the care or welfare of a child. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iv)(e)) 4 April 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2717656 8 In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children are given the opportunity to share their views in a way that is beneficial for them. Leaders and managers must ensure that discussions take place with children following incidents to help staff to understand children’s experiences and provide them with the most appropriate support.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that all staff receive regular and effective supervision and annual appraisals. 4 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter. (Regulation 40 (4)(c) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that they inform the regulator of allegations and the actions taken. 4 April 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2717656 9 The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI (Regulation 44 (1) (7)(a)) 4 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b)) 4 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI, as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, if any of the following events take place or are expected by the registered person to take place— 4 April 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2717656 10 a person other than the registered person carries on or manages the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

a person ceases to carry on or manage the home. (Regulation 49 (a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that they inform the regulator when the manager of the home has changed.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the children already living in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that a child’s bedroom is not routinely unless there are reasonable grounds for believing that there is a risk to the child’s or another person’s safety or well-being. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children's home: 2717656 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: United Homes Group Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 211 Station Road, Harrow HA1 2TP

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Inspector

Sadia Akhtar, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2717656 12 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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